Captain of underpants: activist marches in fight against testicular cancer

TRURO — Under any other circumstance, the cops probably would have thrown Mark McIntyre in jail.

But on Tuesday, the Toronto actor marched through downtown Truro wearing only his underwear, sneakers and a tuque.

He was accompanied by a marching band, cheerleaders and police escort. He was treated, not a reprobate, but a rock star.

For 21 days, starting in Vancouver, McIntyre, 43, hitchhiked his way across Canada in his underwear. Dubbed the “Gitchhiker,” the aim of his journey was to raise awareness for “below the belt” cancer and possibly some money along the way.

He managed both and fittingly concluded his journey in Truro, in the parking lot outside the Stanfield’s Canada factory, the company he partnered with on the promotion and the company that produces the very underwear that kept him (somewhat) decent and (somewhat) warm as he travelled across the country.

Between the generosity of people he met along the way and a sizable cheque provided by Stanfield’s at the end, McIntyre was able to deliver $30,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society.

And judging by the amount of press on hand to cover his arrival, not to mention all the outlets that picked up his story along the way, there’s been no shortage of awareness in the last 21 days, either.

McIntyre, a survivor of testicular cancer, who, by his own admission, typically has plenty to say, seemed almost at a loss for words as he took in the scene in Truro. The town band, local cheerleaders and football players marched with him, people stopped him on the street along the way and pretty much every employee at Stanfield’s was waiting outside the factory for picture, handshake or to offer a hot bowl of chilli to the man with the red belly and white boxer briefs.

“I’m just happy to be here at Stanfield’s and happy to be Canadian. This is Canada.”

Jon Stanfield, the company’s president, said they look for unique and interesting ways to attract people to the brand and spread word about the products, but they also look for causes and ways to be supportive.

The Gitchhiker campaign accomplished both, he said.

“One of our mottoes is, ‘We support men.’ And … there’s nothing that supports men more than their underwear,” Stanfield joked.

He credited McIntyre with taking on the challenge and being such a strong ambassador for the cause.

“He was a gamer just to do this,” said Stanfield. “He’s a real believer in creating awareness because awareness saves lives. We were happy to be involved.”

Much of McIntyre’s joy on this day was a culmination of what he’s experienced for the last three weeks.

Although there might have been some laughing and jokes along the way, McIntyre said people were overwhelmingly supportive when they would stop to talk, find out what he was doing and why he was doing it.

“As soon as you tell them what you’re doing it for, why I’m out here in my Stanfield’s, they’re all on board,” he said. “They’ll laugh at you and they’ll make fun of you, but they’ll tweet your photo and make sure that everybody knows about the cause.”

It all comes back to the cause for McIntyre, and stressing the importance of being proactive about one’s health.

Early detection was a major factor in his case and McIntyre wants people to know that.

“Women are a lot better at it but (men) are terrible. We’ve got to check our boys,” he said. “I want people to make sure they go to the doctor (and) check themselves out — boys and girls.”